White Boy Privilege Essay

Patricia Collins tries to expose her readers to the term oppression and the different types of oppression that human beings can be subjected to or rather the different disparities that cause human oppression including gender and race among others. Collins (74) in her attempt to expound on the issue of oppression and dichotomous thinking argues that "one side of the dichotomy is typically labeled dominant and the other subordinate" which forms the basis of the definition of the term as being a way of thinking in which an individual is convinced that they are subject to being the dominant or the subordinate on the basis of different issues including race where the white male perceives himself as the dominant while the black male becomes the subordinate. The

Perhaps one way of defining and understanding the concept of white male privilege is to imagine that a white male walks through life with an invisible duffle bag full of unearned rights and privileges that a white male alone enjoys. These privileges are said to exist as these white males have something of value that is denied to others simply because of the groups they belong to, versus anything, in particular, they have either failed to do or have actually done. Because other groups do not walk through life with this invisible duffle bag full of unearned rights and privileges, Affirmative Action policies were initiated to provide those without an invisible duffle bag, a visible one; thus, allowing all to walk through life equally. In regards

White Privilege is a right or an advantage give to white people that do not apply to people of other races. An example of White Privilege is never having to worry about being interrogated by the police or authorities due to the solemn fact of your skin color. Christian Hegemony is the dominance of particular Christian ideas, beliefs, and traditions in a society where there are both Christians and Non-Christians present. An example of Christian Hegemony is when society only celebrates the most popular Christian traditions, such as Christmas, and keeps other religious holidays such as Kwanza and Hanukkah more discrete and less well known.

Equality means every individual has equal opportunities. Historically, certain groups of people, African Americans, have been denied of their rights as Americans. The Voting Rights of 1965, a law passed, elimated literacy test that restricted African Americans from voting. In Lydon B. Johnson speech ¨ The American Promise¨ ,Johnson is making an effort to have equality among white and black in society.

“If these things are true, this is not such a free country; one’s life is not what one makes it; many doors open for certain people through no virtues of their own” (McIntosh, 15). This quote is from the article White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack. It refers to a list McIntosh compiled, of twenty-six examples of white privilege. McIntosh used the metaphor of an invisible knapsack to represent white privilege, unearned assets that one is able to easily able to cash in. These advantages are so prevalent, yet they are considered the society norm and we are taught not to recognize the.

Patricia Collins tries to expose her readers to the term oppression and the different types of oppression that human beings can be subjected to or rather the different disparities that cause human oppression including gender and race among others. Collins (74) in her attempt to expound on the issue of oppression and dichotomous thinking argues that "one side of the dichotomy is typically labeled dominant and the other subordinate" which forms the basis of the definition of the term as being a way of thinking in which an individual is convinced that they are subject to being the dominant or the subordinate on the basis of different issues including race where the white male perceives himself as the dominant while the black male becomes the subordinate. The

People from ethnic minorities and religious groups are significantly less likely than average to be at work, and when in work are paid significantly less than average. American have not lived up to the ideals expressed in the Declaration of Independance. Throughout America’s history, groups have dealt with a large amount of deprivation of rights. For example, in the 1920s, black men and women were recognized for their music, literature, dance, and clothing. Although they were recognized, they were still segregated during the revolution.

Colorblindness in the U.S. seems like it would create a very fair and just society and treat everyone equal. I think it would be both beneficial and detrimental. It would be beneficial because it would eliminate the people that actually do treat the dominant group higher than the minority, but it would detrimental because it create too much of a equal society. There needs to be people that excel over other people because it benefits everyone even when a white person excels over a black person. For example, if a white person and a black person are the last two options for a job position, and the white person gets the job, some people are going to overreact about it and say that the employer chose that person just because they were white, when in reality, that person was just more qualified.

Privilege, for lack of a better word, is power. In sociology, this power is seen as what one group has over the other. W.E.B DuBois thought of privilege as emotional/psychological, i.e. knowing what one is not. What are some examples of this? You have straight privilege where you don’t have to worry about coming out or have your right to marry be debated (your heterosexuality has power over other sexualities); if you are thin, you’re not shamed often for your weight be it in what you buy or your clothing size (you being thin has power over those that are not); if you are able bodied, you require no assistance with daily tasks and are often included when group activities occur (you being able bodied have power over the dis/abled).

The topic I would like to discuss is racial equality in the health care field. Racial equality is a topic that is slowly leaving everyone’s daily life. We have to influence the health care providers to endorse upcoming professionals in the next generation to be better that the one before. These care givers need to define laws of racial equality and justice. This influence can help us eliminate racial violence, crimes, and improper care.